Device for stretching wires



(No Model.)

S. TAPT. DEVICE PQR STRBTGHING WIRES.

No. 408,997". Patented-Aug. 13,1889...

WWESSES 'UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

STEPHEN TAFT, OF MILLBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR STRETCHING WIRES.

SIPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,997, dated August 18, 1889.

Application filed April 25, 1889.

T0 zr/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN TAET, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Millbury, in the county of Vorcester and State of Massachusettshave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Stretching lVires; and I do hereby declare that the following is a' full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

` The invention relates to improvements in wire stretching and tightening tools or devices, and while it can be used to stretch and tighten extended wires of any kind-such as fence-wires and clothes-lines-it is more particularly adapted for the use of linemen in placing .telegraph and otherl electric wires.

The tool which is the subject of invention is intended to grip, hold, and stretchl the Wire without'the necessity of the operator using his hands; and it consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure l of the drawings represents a perspective View of the tool complete, including the strap and a rubber band surrounding the shanks of the tool. Fig. 2 represents a front or face thereof, showing the arrangement of the notches in the dogs of the jaws. -Fig. 3 represents a perspective View of one of the dogs detached. Fig. 4 represents a lon gitudinal section in the line t of Fig. l, a spring being used instead of the rubber band. Fig. 5 represents an edge view of the outer or jaw portion of the tool; and Fig. 6 is a detail view, in perspective, of the pivot-pin.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates the metallic gripping portion or nippers of the tool, composed of nearly similar opposed sections B C, respectively.

The section B consists of the flattened and outwardly and laterally extended jaw l) and the shank b', curving inward from the jaw in the manner usual with nippers and provided in said curved portion with the longitudinal slot b2. The said slot is provided with a longitudinal curved shoulder within it, as shown in Fig. 4, and the shank beyond the bent or curved portion runs almost parallel to the sentirlo. 303,504. (Nomade.)

similar part of the shank of the opposite section. y

b3 b3 are transversely-perforated lugs which stand from the inner surface of t-he shank b-one just inward from the curved portion thereof and the other at the end of the shankand b4 b4 are metal loops which are attached to said lugs by screws b5, that pass through the perforations in said lugs and through similar registering-perforation in the ears of the loops, which ears lie against opposite sides of the corresponding lugs. The transverse bars of the said loops are surrounded by antifriction sleeves bb', as shown.

The jaw Z9 has on its inner or facing edgea transverse groove or open-ended recess b?, the rear wall of said recess extending upwardly above the horizontal plane of the other portion of the jaw.

The section O consists of a jaw c and a shank c', similar in contour to those of the section B, which shank passes through the slot 112 of the opposite sectionxThe shank c is provided about midway between the lugs b3 with a similar instanding perforated lug c3, to

which is hung a loop c, similar to the loops b4, by means of a screw c5, the loop being provided with the anti-friction sleeve c6. The lug c3 has at its base a transverse recess, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The jaw c is provided with a transverse groove or recess c7, the rear wall thereof being extended, as shown. The outer surfaces or faces of the two jaws are inclined or bevi eled outward from their meeting edges to give clearance when gripping.

D is apivotal pin passing through registering openings in the curved portions of the two Shanks, provided on one end with a attened nearly-rectangular head d, the upper edge of which rests against and is support-ed by a shoulder on the inner surface of the jaw B, and having its shank extended for some distance outward from the tool on the opposite side, and provided with the long cuff away portion or rabbet d', having its shoulder rounded, as shown.

E E are grippers or dogs fitted, respectively, into the recesses bl c7, the flanges e of the dogs entering the recesses, while their main portions e rest upon or impinge against IOO the horizontal flat portion of the jaws. The said main portions are nearly rectangular in cross-section, and their outer surfaces are preferably flush with the faces of the jaws. The meeting edges of the dogs are preferably provided with similar longitudinal grooves F, but may, if desired,be fiat, and are crossed at proper points at right angles by the rounded notches f, which meet and register when the jaws are closed, and the pairs of which may be of different sizes. The said notches are, however, preferably arranged in such manner that an equal number of pairs stand on each side of a central pair at equal distances therefrom, all of which pairs may differ in size to grip properly wires of different diameters. The grooves and notches cause the vmeeting edges of the dogs to have somewhat of a toothed appearance.

G is a strap of suitable length having a buckle g on one end and a series of perforations to engage said buckle extending from the opposite end, so that the loop of the strap, when the buckle is engaged, may be made larger or smaller, as desired.

The strap G has its middle portion passed over the sleeve h of the loop h4, attached to the lug b, adjoining the slot b2. Thenee both ends of the strap pass under the anti-friction roller of the loop ci, attached to the shank c', and thence over the friction-roller of the loop attached to the end of the shank b. The ends of the strap are then buckled together, making as large a loop as is necessary. The dogs may be removed from the jaws and other dogs attached having differently arranged and sized notches. These dogs are held in place by means of the fianges c thereof, which enter the recesses 117 c7, and fit close enough to prevent their dropping out as the tool is manipulated.

H is a curved plate-spring having one end bent under the curved shoulder in the slot h2, and secured there by screws or rivets passing through openings that extend from the outer surface of the shank h', and the other end passed into the recess in the base of the lug c3, so that both ends of the spring are attached.

Then the jaws and shanks are parted to grip a wire, the spring is straightened and put under tension thereby, and it assumes its norlnalcurved shape and automatically closes the jaws tightly on the wire, when the handles are released.

Instead of using the spring, a stron g rubber or other elastic band can be passed around the shanks of the tool, as shown in Fig. l, which band will answer the same purpose.

In practice a line-man, having' ascended a telegraph-pole, can put the strap G around his body, and, having engaged the wire to be operated on in the manner described, can,by simply leaning outward from the pole, cause the wire to be more firmly grasped, and can thereby extend and stretch the wire for the desired distance, having his hands free at the time. The drawing outward of the strap, as is obvious from the described construction, closes the shanks and the dogs more closely, and prevents the latter from slipping on the wire. The operator having his hands free, can then easily use a splicer, of any suitable construction, to connect the end of the gripped wire with that of an adjoining wire. The operator can similarly splice the ends of the wires when on the ground, for by leaning backward he can stretch the gripped wire to the necessary distance. The weightof the operators body in both cases acts to stretch the wire. Two wires can also be twisted together by the tool, for by inserting the ends of the wires in two different pairs of notches and turning the tool the said ends will be twisted on each other. The extended shank and the head of the pivotpin D will bear on the wire passed through adjacent notches and further prevent slipping.

Having described my invention, I claiml. The combination, with the nippers having their shanks provided with registering y openings, of the pivotal bolt provided with a flattened nearly-rectangular head, the lower edge of which rests against and is supported by a shoulder on the inner surface of the lower jaw of the nippers, said pivotal bolt having its shank provided with a long cut-away por tion or rabbet, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the nippers A, composed of the pivoted sections B C, the section B having loops b4 attached to its shank, respectively, near the upper and lower ends thereof, and the section C having the similar loop c4 attached to its shank at a point between the loops b, and the spring H, attached at the upper end to the shank of the section B and at its lower end to the shank of the sec tion C, of the strap G, passing, as described,

through said loops and having the buckle .f/ at one end, and the series of perforations g for the tongue of said buckle extending in ward from the opposite end, substantially as specified.

The combination, with the strap G, of the nippers A, composed of the sections B an d C, each composed of a shank and a flattened laterally-extended jaw, which jaws incline slightly outward from their meeting edges, the pivot-pin D, having a flattened head and an extended and rabbeted shank, the loops lr, attached to the shank of the section B, the loop c, attached to the shank of the sect-ion C, the detachable dogs E E, provided with the IOO IIO

longitudinal grooves F, and the transverse 5. The combination of the nippers composed of two opposing sections and suitable Shanks, the lower shank passing through a slot in the upper shank, the latter being formed or provided at opposite points of its length with depending perforated lugs, metal loops having the ears thereof perforated, said perforations registering with the perforations in the lugs, the transverse bars of said loops being provided with an ti-friction sleeves, the Screws for attaching said loops to the lugs, the perforated lug formed or provided upon the lower shank, the lower loop provided with an antifriction sleeve, and the strap passing over the an ti-friction sleeves of the loops, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the nippers composed of two opposing sections and suitable Shanks, the lower shank passing through a slot in the upper shank, the latter being formed or provided at opposite points of its length with depending perforated lugs, metal loops having the ears thereof perforated, said perforations registering with the perforations in the lugs, the transversebars of said loopsbeingprovided with anti-friction sleeves, the screws for attaching said loops to the lugs, the perforated notched lug formed or provided upon the lower shank, the curved fiat-spring plate disposed between the two jaws of the nippers, said spring having its forward end bent under and secured to a curved shoulder in the slotted shank, and having its rear end passing into the notched lug upon the lower shank, the lower loop provided with an antifriction sleeve, and the strap passing over the antifriction sleeves of the loops, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN TAFT.

Vitn esses:

DAVID A'rwoon, IRA N. GODDARD. 

